


Power Records

by Toryb



Series: Camp Bughead 2018 [4]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1980s, Betty and Jughead work at a record shop, Camp Bughead, Coworkers - Freeform, Drummer!Jughead, F/M, Power Records, band au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 22:39:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15277704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toryb/pseuds/Toryb
Summary: It's 1980s and you know that means? Everyones in a band, everyone loves vinyl, and Jughead's aesthetic actually matches the time period he's in for once. Betty Cooper gets her first ever job at a record shop and meets a pretty strange boy who makes her heart flutter like in all those John Hughes Movies!





	Power Records

**Author's Note:**

> This...this might be the most fun i have literally EVER had writing something. It's silly fun that touches one of my favorite decades. I'm a big history nerd but I'm also a HUGE 80s movie nerd so i hope you get a good John Hughes vibe from this like what I was going for. Please enjoy <3 There's 80s slang so if you need a glossary it's at the end notes! Some of them are super self explanatory but it was fun for me to count up all the times i used some 80s vocab.

Betty strolled through the front doors of Power Records, ready and excited for her very first day on the job--or really, her first day on any job. She loved music. There was nothing better than turning on the radio or making mix tapes to share with Veronica, so when the ‘Now Hiring’ sign was set in the window of her favorite record shop, she wrote up an application as quick as she could and submitted it. They got back to her within the week and there she was, bouncing in with the powder blue scrunchy that matched the chains on her braces and the light dusting of shadow on her eyes.

 

It all felt so exciting as she searched around for any sign of the man in charge. Her boss, Lewis, said he wouldn’t be around today, but one of the other associates, named Jughead, would be there to help her train for the first few hours. Finally, her eyes settled on a dark haired boy sitting near the back at the cashwrap, nodding his head along to the White Snake song she didn’t recognize too well playing over the radio. He was wearing a worn grey knit cap and beat up flannel, suspenders hanging low around his waist. She couldn’t help but think he looked a lot like Judd Nelson from the Breakfast Club. Veronica always made fun of her when she popped in the VHS and watched the dreamy bad boy grace her screen.

 

“Hello?” She tried to be a little louder than the music. “I’m Betty. I started working here today and Mr. Lewis said you’d be training me.”

 

He eyed her suspiciously before nodding, ignoring her outstretched hand. “Name’s Jughead. It’s good to a see a new face around here. It’s been mostly me for awhile.”

 

There were a lot of questions she had about that, but she did her best to ignore them, instead taking a few moments to enjoy the fact that she was working in her favorite shop and there wa nothing Alice Cooper could do to stop her. Betty’s mother hated most music. She said hair bands were trite and people like Cyndi Lauper was too peppy. Most music she was allowed to listen to at home was limited to old 50s classics and the jazz station her dad would put on. When no one was around, she’d sneak into Polly’s old room and pull out her record playing, dancing around to all her favorite. Hopefully she’d have a few more vinyls to add to her collection in the coming weeks.

 

“Do you know much about music?” He asked, breaking Betty from her trance.

 

“I know some. I really like all kinds though. Anything but smooth jazz.”

 

Jughead smiled at her and laughed. “I think we’ll get along fine. Let me start by showing you around? Not that you don’t know. I think I’ve seen you in here a few times before, always hanging out in the new releases.”

 

“Guilty as charged.” She couldn't find the decency to blush.

 

The rest of her first day was spent teaching her the ropes of everything in the store. At first, it feels a little overwhelming, but she overheard her favorite Journey song playing over the store’s speakers, and relaxed a little more. Betty knew this place like the back of her hand. This was her home away from home and she would prove she was always supposed to work here.

 

Jughead seemed impressed by the end of it, handing her a stack of records, saying, “Tell me where all these go.” She replied with knowledgeable ease and a brilliant grin. He cracked a smile. “I’m impressed.”

 

“I told you. I’ve been like...totally obsessed with this place since it first opened up.”

 

“It’s pretty sick. You work again this weeked right?”

 

“Yeah totally!”

 

“Rad. I’ll see you then. I always work the weekends.”

 

“Later Days, Jug!”

 

With her heart floating high, Betty left the shop, proud of the money she was finally able to start saving up, and of just how well she’d done on her first day on the job. Her mother asked her how work was--fully under the impression her daughter had gotten a job at a toy store where they sold Lisa Frank things to little girls. She couldn't know the truth. If she did, it would be goodbye Power Records hello a grounding until she was 80 years old.

 

Saturday was full of excitement for her. Betty dressed in her favorite outfit--and favorite leg warmers--before heading off to work, where Jughead would be waiting. Already and she was totally crushing on her coworker. Well, no harm in that right?

 

Music was playing like always when she came in, probably handpicked by the particular Jones boy. He was sitting at the desk, drumming to the rhythm of the song on an old binder, counting to the beat. Betty let herself watch him for a moment. Jughead seemed right in his element, keeping time and bouncing the pencil as they made little clacks against the plastic binder in front of him.

 

“Omigod, your beat is totally stellar!”

 

He jumped a few feet in the air, things clattering to the ground in his surprise. Wincing, she quickly ran over to help him gather his things. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you!”

 

“No sweat, Betts,” he gave her a gentle smile, setting his things back on the cashwrap. “And thanks. I’m actually in a band with a few friends of mine. I play drums.”

 

Eyes blown wide with excited, she gasped. “No fake? That’s clutch! What do you guys usually play?”

 

“I like headbangers but we usually play cover song.” She watched something shift in his gaze. It seemed almost nervous, apprehensive, before he took a deep breath in. “Maybe you could come watch us play one night? I’m not sure if you know Archie Andrews, everybody does, but he’s the lead singer.”

 

“Whoa! I’d have to be mental not to agree. I’m not sure my mom would want me to go, but I bet with a little help from my sister I could make it happen. Just tell me a when and where. I can’t wait to hear you guys jam!”

 

On the back of a used receipt, Jughead quickly wrote down a time and place of their next show. Betty stuffed it into the back of her jeans so she wouldn’t forget. A giddiness settled in the pit of her stomach--all she had to do was wait for next friday at 8 PM. Luckily she wouldn’t be working and there wouldn’t be much homework as summer break continued it’s slow approach towards them.

 

“So you have a sister?” He asked when the store had gone nearly silent, only a few space cadets still lingering between the crowded shelves. “That’s rad, so do I.”

 

“Ace! Yeah my sister...well let’s say the rabbit died so things haven’t been kopesadik between my mom and her recently.”

 

Jughead made a face, but nodded in understanding. “Yikes. I get it. My parents and I don’t ride the same waves either. My mom thinks I’m a total wastoid and my dad’s always working.”

 

“My mom…” Betty bit her lip, contemplating just how honest she could be. With one look at that charming face, it almost didn’t matter. “She doesn’t know I work here. If she did she would like totally freak.”

 

“Guess your secret’s safe with me.”

 

Working went by fast when it was the two of them. If no customers were around, they’d pick whichever records they liked best and put them on, Betty dancing through the isles as he beat against the cabinets. It was the most fun she’d had in a long time. Silly, free, and childish--it was good to feel her age for once, instead of the adult her mother always tried to get her to be, one who didn’t wear hair scrunchies or pick the color of her braces to match her favorite Lisa Frank sticker.

 

Going home was something Betty dreaded doing. But by eleven the record shop was closed up, the cleaning was done, and it was time to walk home. She lingered outside, waiting for Jughead to finish locking all the doors. He gave her a little smile.

 

“I’ve got to motor. Which way are you headed?”

 

Betty pointed in the direction of her house, looking down at her cute white keds and trying not to get her hopes up. It was pretty late and she had no ride home. She’d lied and told her mother that Veronica was dropping her off after work to keep her from getting suspicious--something that had seemed genius before, but now, with the sun fully set and the streat lights flickering, it didn’t feel that way.

 

“Oh. I live Sunnyside but um...maybe I could walk you home?”

 

Normally, smiling with the braces felt more like a chore than a joy, but she didn’t much mind it right then, beaming up at him. “That’d be way cool.”

 

They walked in relatively comfortable silence, nothing but the quiet hum of nearly summer nights filling the air. Every few steps she would allow herself a glance his way and immediately feel her cheeks redden. When she couldn’t bare the silence any longer, Betty opened her mouth to speak, only to have Jughead beat her to it.

 

“Did you see the junior summer reading list?”

 

Betty rolled her eyes. “Ugh yeah. Gag me with a spoon. Some of the books on there are bogus. I’ve already read most of them. They should change it up a little. We should totally be allowed to read  _ In Cold Blood _ . There’s only so much I can read  _ Catcher in the Rye _ without wanting to veg out.”

 

“Totally. I’ve read  _ In Cold Blood _ like a thousand times.”

 

The rest of the walk followed in easy conversation, until they reached the steps of Betty’s perfect white picket fence. He walked her all the way up until they were face to face outside the front door. Nervously, she looked down at her feet again, feeling her toes curl with excitement. Jughead didn’t step away. He swallowed and looked like he might say something.

 

“I liked walking you home.” Then, quietly, to himself, she heard him whisper. “Nice play, Shakespeare.”

 

“I liked you walking me home too.”

 

Jughead smiled and visibly relaxed. “Maybe we could make a thing out of it?”

 

“Totally. That’d be very.” Betty, unable to stop herself, popped on her toes and kissed him. He seemed surprised at first, but slowly melted into her touch, leaning down so he could properly cup her cheeks. Braces clanked against inexperienced teeth. It was messy and awkward, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

“Did you just kiss me?” he asked when they pulled apart, looking up to see the porch light flickering on and off--a sure sign that her mother had noticed them out front and she would have a lot of explaining to do once she got inside.

 

Betty giggled and nodded. “Yeah.”

 

“No way.”

 

“Way.”

 

With a nervous grin, Jughead kissed her again, quicker and more confidently this time. “I’ll see you at work. Maybe school. Definitely at the show?”

 

“For sure. I’m excited to get to see you jam. Promise me you’ll play a Journey song?”  

 

“I bet Arch wouldn’t mind that. He’s always bragging about his vocals and wanting to try out new things.” He looked up and noticed the flickering lights again, sighing. “I should go. I’ll see you around Betts.”

 

“Later days, Juggie.” She didn’t bother to tell him he had cherry flavored gloss all over his lips when he walked away.

 

Inside was a scolding from her mother, all about how offended she was to not be able to meet this boy, and how she hoped it would happen very soon if Betty ever wanted to see him again. Polly, swollen from her late pregnancy, winked at her sister, filled with pride. That night, she dreamed of the four stone walls of Power Records, and singing with the handsome boy who played the drums and kissed her until her head spun. Betty definitely loved her new job.

**Author's Note:**

> Glossary:  
> Judd Nelson from the Breakfast Club: That would be "the criminal" in the best John Hughes movie of literally all time ever thank you for coming to my ted talk  
> Rad, Sick, Ace, Stellar, Clutch: Literally all words for cool varrying in how intense the cool is  
> Later Days: Bye!  
> Lisa Frank: late 80s early 90s technicolor stuff. Like...did you ever see those binders with the dolphin and the rainbow. I had a bunch growing up too and I went to school in the early 2000s  
> No Fake: No way! No kidding?  
> Mental: Crazy  
> Space Cadets: people who are out of it  
> The Rabbit Died: Pregnancy  
> Wastoid: Stoner/Loser/etc  
> Gag me with a spoon: Literally my mother's favorite 80s slang that essentially mean "it sucks"  
> Nice play, Shakespeare: Sarcastic way of saying "that was a horrible pick up line"  
> That'd be very: that'd be good/awesome/nice


End file.
